Lubricant fitting clamp



June e, 1933. G H HARTMAN l l 1,912,770

LUBRI CANT FITTING CLAMP Paiemed June e, 193s UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE GEORGE H. HARTMAN, E BRYAN; 01110, AssrGNoR 'ro yTHE AROEQUIPMENT conion-Arroiv, or Beren, orrro, A conroRA'rroiv or oHro'LUBBICANT FITTING CLAMP' Application filed September 14, 1931. SerialNo. 562,734.

vide a lubricant fitting clamp wherein a lu bricant fitting engagementmember is provided .for engaging a. contact type of lubri.

cant tting, and pressure operating means is provided for engaging a partrigid with the lubricant fitting, whereby to tighten such enagementwithout having to manually hold the lubricant ttingengagement member incontact with the lubricant fitting against the tendency of lubricantunder high pressure to separate the engaging parts.

More particularly, itis my object to provide a .cylinder and a pistonwith laterally extending arms, one of which carries a lubricant fittingengagement member and the other being adapted for. engaging a part rigidwith a lubricant fitting, fluid pressure being supplied to the cylinderfor tightening the engagement.

A further object isY to provide a check valve arrangement for lubricantunder pressure to flow through to a lubricant fitting engagement memberwith-a by-pass-passageway from the intake side" of the check valve4 tothe cylinder, so that the lubricant 'unden pressure itself firsttends totighten the en;

gagement ofthe clamp with the lubricant fitting and the part rigidtherewith, afterwhich the 'check valve is yopened by the lubricantpressure for discharging'the lubricant into the lubricant fitting. Y

Still anotlieriobject is to provide a spring return and a release valve,so that whenthe releasevalve is open, the spring return will loosen theclamp until the release valve is again closed. v Y

A further object is to provide a clamp for a lubricant fitting, whichhas a bayonet or other type of 'positive connection for a grease gun orthe like, and which is adapted" to coact with a 4contact type oflubricant fitting, the vdevicel having inherent means forv tighteningsuch contact without 4the necessityof j manually' maintaining thecontact.- A`lVith these and other objects in view, my

invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination ofthe various parts of my lubricant fitting clamp, whereby the objectslcontemplated are attained, as

hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in myl claims, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in'which:

Y Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional 'view through a lubricant iittingclamp embodying my Vinvention and showing it cooperating V with alubricant fitting.

Figure'2 isran enlarged, sectional view on theV line 2-2 of Figurey 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a modified form of construction, partsbeing broken away and other parts being shown in section.

Figure 4 is an end view in the directionJof thearrow 4 adjacent Figure3;and

Figure 5 is an end view in the direction of the arrow 5 adjacent Figure3. 70

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 toindicate a cylinder. A plunger-like piston 12 is reciprocable relativeto the cylinder 10 through a head 14 thereof. The plunger-like piston 12is packedV 75 Packing-26 is provided surrounding the pis- 35 ton rod 22and contacting with the packing nut 24. A packing washer28 against ashoulder 30-of the cylinder 10 is provided. Interposed between Ythewasher 28 and the packing 26 is a spring 32 for maintaining 90T thepacking 26 tight.

Arms 34 and 36 extend laterally from the cylinder 10 and the piston rod22 respectively. i

The arm 34 may be formed integral with 95 the cylinder 10 (as shown inFigure 1) or separatetherefrom (as shown in Figure 3).

The arm 36 may be pinned or otherwise securedto the'piston'rod 22 asindicated at 100 eff .and I rprovide ran alignment rod A40. TheA rod40-is pinned at 42 in the arm-36 and is slidably mounted through a lug44 of the packing nut 24. n y

l The arm 34is Aprovided with a. hub 46 with which` al Abayonet or otherpositive type of lubricant fitting 48 is connected. The lubricantfitting 4S Ais adapted to have the discharge yend of ai grease gun'o-rothermeans for supplying lubricant under `prmsure conf nected therewith.

lVithin the hub 46 a, check valve50 is pro- -f vided. y nected withtherhub 46by lmeans of a screwthreadcd connection. f The fitting 52yhouses a second checkvalve 54. Springs 56 and 58 rserve to normallymaintain ythe check valves An intermediate fitting 52 is con- 50 and 54in closed position'. f f

lAA lubricant fitting engagement member A yis connected yWith-,theintermediate fitting 52.

It comprises a primary portion 60,a cap 62 and gasket Washers 64.

A passagewayr 66m thearm `34 communi-A Cates With the interior of thecylinder l0 and i the space Abetween the Acheck valves 50 and 54.

A release valve` 68. ralso communicates with' this space.

f In Figure 1, I have'shoivn an automobile `spring 70, having a. shacklebolt 72'and acon-y tact type yof lubricant .fitting74- My lubricanttting clampr is shownappliedA thereto. by Way of illustration.

Practical operation i ln the operation of the lubricant fitting clamp,the parts normally assume the dotted line position shown in Figure 1,due to the action of the return spring 18. The operator places thelubricant fitting engagement member A against the lubricant fitting 74and then starts operation of the lubricant gun.

The lubricant under pressure is driven 'A through the check Valve 50 andat first is held by the check valve 54 and passes through thepassageway' 66 to the cylinder 10. It

passes freely through notches 76 of the shoulder 2O and displaces thepiston 12, causing movement of the piston toward the right to the fullline position.

After the arm 36 engages the shackle bolt 72, such engagement and theengagement of the lubricant fitting engagement member A with thelubricant fitting 74 tightens until the lubricant pressure overcomes thetension of' thespring 58,1whereupon-lubricant under pressure is forcedinto the fitting 74. The

Ahigher the pressure required to force the lubricant into the fitting,the higher Will be the pressure imparted to the cylinder 10 formaintaining the clamp in tightly clamped position on the shackle bolt. y

After the shackle bolt has been properly lubricated, and the operationof the lubricant gun stopped, the lubricant fittingclamp may be releasedfrom the shackle bolt by slightly .unscrevving the release valve 68which allows `This 'operation preferably A'is lcontin'l'ied'l' until themember A can be disengaged from the 'fitting 74.l

It will be noted that the respective ,areas of the piston'y 12 and thepiston rod 22 are 1s because not much piston area is required lfor.propertightening of the clamp on the lubricant fitting7 and yet'considerable strength is needed in the piston rod in orde-r topreventbending. thereof, as the arms l34 and 36 are forced tovvardfeachother.`V

japproximatelythe same (see Figure 2.)'. l This.

AA modified form of construction isshovvn f in Figure' Sin lWhich'thecylinder 10a and the arm 34a are made separate 'from each other with ascrew-threaded engagement. By

means of a vlock nut 78, the arm '34a lmaybe. 1 held rigid in any"position With-respecttoy the cylinder 10a.

n FigureV 5, the arm is shown solid in one position and dotted inanother position.

#/Su'chl adjustment desirable Where` the" lubricant fitting and thepartrigid therewith are not in alignment.

f f There yis considerable distancebetween the arm 36 and the member A,but this can be reduced on certain types of bearings, such as the oneshown at SOin Figure' 'This'isy 1 l l accomplished by a set screw 82 ina threaded opening 84 of the arm 36. By this arranger4 ment, thelubricant fitting clamp can be adjusted for bearing lubricant Work onvarious types of bearings.

Thus a. lubricant fitting clamp is provided in which there is nonecessity for Wrenches or screw-threaded tightening adjustments inasmuchas the lubricant pressure itself serves t-o automatically tighten theclamp. The operation of the clamp therefore depends upon the operationof the grease gun.

My invention effectively provides a clamp which entirely eliminates theunsatisfactory method of trying to keep alubricant gun in contact With acontact type of lubricant fitting by hand.

Some changes may be made in the :arrangement and construction of thevarious parts of my lubricant fitting clamp Without departing from thereal spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to coverby' a piston therein, a piston rod extending from.

said cylinder, laterally extending arms on the cylinder and the pistonrod, a lubricant fitting engagement member on one of said arms, said armhaving a passageway leading therethrough to said lubricant fittingVenrgagement member, a pair of check valves in said passageway openingtoward said lubricant fitting engagement member, said arm having alubricant passageway leadingfrom between said check valves to saidcylinder.

2. In a lubricant fitting clamp, a cylinder, a piston therein, a pistonrod extending from said cylinder, laterally extending arms on thecylinder and the piston rod, a lubricant fitting engagement member onone of said arms, means for supplying lubricant under pressure to saidlubricant fitting engagement member, and means for supplying fluidpressure to said cylinder to cause movement of said arms toward eachother.

3. In a lubricant fitting clamp, a, cylinder, a piston therein, a pistonrod extending from said cylinder, laterally extending arms on thecylinder and the piston rod, a lubricant fitting engagement member onone of said arms, means for supplying lubricant under pressure to saidlubricant fitting engagement member, and means for supplying fluidpressure to said cylinder tocause movement of said arms toward eachother.

4. In a lubricant fitting clamp, a cylinder, a piston therein, a pistonrod extending from said cylinder, laterally extending arms on thecylinder and the piston rod, a lubricant fit-A ting engagement member onone of said arms, a check valve, means for supplying lubricant underpressure to said lubricant fitting engagement member through'said checkvalve, and means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinder to causemovement of said arms toward each other.

5. In a lubricant fitting clamp, a cylinder, a piston therein, a pistonrod extending from said cylinder, laterally extending arms on thecylinder and the piston rod, a lubricantfitting engagement member on oneof said arms, a check valve, means for supplying lubricant underpressure to said lubricant fitting engagement member through said checkvalve and to said cylinder to cause movement of said piston therein in adirection to force said arms toward each other.Y

6. In a lubricant fitting clamp, a cylinder, a piston therein, a pistonrod extending from said cylinder, laterally extending arms on thecylinder and the piston rod, a lubricant fitting enga-gement member onone of said arms, means for supplying lubricant under pressure to saidlubricant fitting engagement member, means for supplying fluid pressureto said cylinder, and means for releasing such fluid pressure therefrom.

7. In a lubricant fitting clamp, a cylinder, a piston therein, a pistonrod extending from said cylinder, means on said cylinder and on saidpiston rod to engage a lubrcant fitting and a part rigid therewith, apair of check valves, means for supplying lubricant under' pressure tosaid lubricant fitting through said check valves, and'means forsupplying such lubricant under pressure from between said check valvesto said cylinder. Y

8. In a lubricant fitting clamp, a cylinder, a piston therein, a pistonrod extending from said cylinder, means on said cylinder and .on saidpiston rod to engage a lubricant fitting and a part rigid therewith, apair of check valves, means for supplying lubricant under k pressure tosaid lubricant fitting through said checkAA valves, means 'for supplyingsuchr lubricant under pressure from between said check :valves tosaid'cylinder, and a release valve communicating with between said checkvalves. e

9. In alubricant fitting clamp, a cylinder, a plunger-like pistonextending from rand packed relative to one end thereof, a piston rod'extending from and packed relative to the other end thereof, means ronsaid cylinder and pistonv rod to'engage a lubricant fitting and a partrigidrelative thereto and means for discharging fluid pressure into saidcylinder'to tighten such engagement.y

l0. In a lubricant fitting clamp, a cylinder, a plunger-like pistonextending from and packed relative to one end thereof, a piston rodextending from and packed relative to the other end thereof, means onsaid cylinder and piston rod to engage a lubricant fitting and a partrigid relative thereto, means for supplying lubricant underpressure tosaid lubricant fitting and means for supplying fluid pressure to saidcylinder for tightening such engagement.

11. In a lubricant fitting clamp, a cylinder, i

a plunger-like piston extending from and packed relative to one endthereof, a piston rod extending from and packed relative to the otherend thereof, means on said cylinder'i and piston rod to engage alubricant fitting' and a part rigid relative thereto, a check valve,means for supplying lubricant under pressureto said cylinder fortightening said engagement and means for supplying fluid pressurethrough said check valve to said lubricant fitting.

12. In a lubricant fitting clamp, Aa cylinder, a plunger-like pistonextending from and packed relative to one end thereof, a piston rodVextending from and packed relative to the other end thereof, means onsaid cylinder andV piston rod to engage a lubricant fitting and a partrigid relative thereto, aV pair of check valves, and means for supplyinglubricant under pressure from between said check valves to saidVcylinder for tightening such engagement and through both of said checkY valves to said lubricant fitting.

13. In a lubricant fitting clamp, a cylinder, a plunger-like pistonextending from and packed relative to one end thereof, a piston rodextending from and packed relative to the other end thereof, means onsaid cylinder and piston rod to engage a lubricant fitting and a partrigid relative thereto, a check Valve, means for supplying lubricantunder pressure to said cylinder for tightening said engage- 5 ment,means for supplying lubricant under pressure through said check valve tosaid lubricant itting, and a manually controlled valve for releasingsuch lubricant under pressure from said cylinder to loosen suchengagelnent.

14. In a lubricant fitting clamp, a cylinder, a plunger-like pistonextending from and packed relative to one end thereof, a piston rodextending from and packed relative to the other end thereof, means onsaid cylinder and piston rod to engage a lubricant fitting and a partrigid relative thereto, a pair of check Valves, means for supplyinglubricant under pressure from between said check valves to said cylinderfor tightening such engagement and through both of said check valves tosaid lubricant fitting, and a rellease Valve communicating With saidcylint er. Des Moines, Iowa, August 18, 1931.

GEORGE H. HARTMAN.

